A warning has been issued to members of the public after ammunition cases were found near Burton Bradstock. 

West Bay Coastguard are urging people to leave suspicious items undisturbed and call 999 after the case with unknown contents were found on Hive Beach. 

A coastguard spokesman said officers were alerted to the unusual find by Solent Coastguard National Maritime Operations Centre today.

Three coastguard officers from West Bay including the teams deputy station officer quickly gathered their equipment and the team's rescue vehicle and made their way to the beach.

A safety cordon was put in place on arrival and a single officer bravely approached the case for an initial visual inspection.

The case's lid was missing but it contained some 'internal packing materials' so the officer left it undisturbed.

Multiple photographs including all of the case’s markings and serial numbers were taken and forwarded to Navy Bomb Disposal (EOD) for identification.

The spokesman said the EOD confirmed any unspent contents were ‘inert’ and requested officers remove the internal packaging to confirm that no unspent ammunition remained.

The case was confirmed to be empty and was removed from the area to be disposed of.

Officers received further information that a number of cases had been spotted earlier in the day floating out at sea.

A team was sent to perform as hasty search of the beaches between Hive Beach and West Bay where another case was found washed up on the shore.

Photos were taken and forwarded to EOD who again requested that the packing materials be checked to confirm the contents.

With no contents or further cases found, the officers stood down.

The spokesman said: "Ordnance often washes up on our shores especially on the south coast and the member of the public did the right thing by calling the Coastguard.

"There might be more cases out there so we want to reinforce the point that if anyone finds one or any other suspicious item, do not touch or disturb it.

"Remember or mark the location of the item as best you can, get away from the area, dial 999 and ask for the coastguard."